The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-13
CHRISTIAN UNION AND UNIVERSAL
IST SYMPATHY.

preached in the public park in that
place on the theme Christian Union"
He took for his text Eph. iv. 8, and
Gal. iii. 2: "Endeavoring to keep the
unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
For we are all one in Christ Jesus"
We follow an abstract which has been
forwarded. He began by stating that
the desire for Christian unity, for the
purpose of opposing selfishness, i'm
purity, vice and crime, to promote
morality and practical reforms, and to
build up Christ's kingdom by promot-
ing purity, love and righteousness, was
rapidly growing desire in these times
among the most advanced minds and
the noblest spirits Ii all Christian
churches. He stated that once in the
medieval and dark ages, the church
was prosecuting organization. 1t was
moved largely by spirit of hate. 1t
tortured and killed in all sorts of cruel
and diabolical ways those who did not
accept its creed. In later times with
more freedom and justice, with larger
apprehension of the spirit and purpose
of the gospel, and with great progress
and improvement in civil government,
an age of liberation has dawned upon
the church. A multitude of sects have
arisen, and we are no longer disposed,
or or no longer permitted even if we
are disposed, to burn and torture and
kill, because of differences of religious
opinion, or of ecclesiastical organiza-
ton Or ceremonial.
But the wisest and best spirits in all
the churches are now rapidly passing
out of and beyond the stage of mere
liberation to the vastly higher and
more Christian attitude of mutual
honor, confidence and respect-mutual
love, and fellowship and cooperation.
Among the wisest and best Christian
men and women, fellowship is no longer
outward and formal and ceremonial.
1t is of the heart and the life. Fellow
ship is no longer with such, put upon
the basis of similarity Of creeds, or or
CARNATIONS, or cerennonials, but upon
the basis of character upon the basis
of love and righteousness, and an hon
est and earnest desize to be active in
destroying whateve5 is eyil and in pro-,
.moting the tfsnras = s'hataYer is.
good. By Christian unity we mean
that all these different churches ought
to meet in common more often than
they do, and to speak and sing and pray
and work together against sin and
for the sinner, in the love of God and
man, i'll the love of Christ and for the
triumph Of his righteousness. The
churches will all be stronger, will have
larger influence and command greater
confidence and respect from the outside
world, and from the unregenerate and
sinful world, when they are thus close
ly banded together in Christian unity,
love and cooperation. Not that any
church should spend its time mainly in
running after other churches, or in
meetings, works and interests outside
its own organization. Undoubtedly
the work of every church should be
chiefly and very largely in and through
its own organization. But after all
this there is room for large and noble
unity and cooperation with others
We must fling away every vestige OF
envy or jealousy because some other
church is stronger, of greater numer-
ical force, more successful, popular
and influential than our own. Such
feeling is contemplate and unchristian.
On the other hand we must rejoice in
the strength and success of others,
however weak we may be.
The strength and success of one
church never hinders or imperils the
strength and success of another. We
are inclined to believe that every church
is successful that is worthy of success,
that adopts all means of success and
holds to them steadfastly and with no
abatement of zeal or suspension of en-
.deayOr. The reason for a large and
loving and earnest unity among all
Christian churches is found in their
common ground and common purpose.
We all agree that the end and cOnsum-
nation of all religion is in purity, love
and holiness, in the destruction of sin
and in the triumph OF righteousness.
What are our separate churches for,
with their temples, and creeds, and
preachers and ceremonial? What are
they all but instruments that righteous
ness may be the end and cOnsummation?
To have this large and grand unity it is
not at all necessary nor is it desirable
that any church should surrender any
thing, neglect or abandon anything that
it may hold important and sacred in its
creed or ecclesiastical methods. We are
only to seek union and cooperation on
that large common ground wherein we
all agree. win not the time come
when we shall find that our common
ground is larger and more important
than our grounds of difference Of belief
and organization, and method, although
it may be still wise and proper for us
to keep our separate churches and
chiefly to work through them to pro-